Bradford (Park Avenue) picked up their second consecutive win with a narrow victory over Alfreton Town, which saw Mark Bower’s side jump to third in the league table.

Conor Branson scored the only goal of the game in the 71st minute, causing Billy Heath’s side to plummet out of the play-off places.

Chances were few and far between in the first-half and neither goalkeeper faced stern tests. However, Alfreton players did had appeals for a penalty dismissed after Steven Drench collided with Richard Peniket whilst contesting a high ball.

In the opening twenty-five minutes, speculative shots from distance were all either side could muster but Bradford eventually had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock. Ben McKenna delivered from deep towards Branson, who headed back across goal but could only watch as Shane Killock volleyed over the crossbar.

The miss seemed to light a spark in both sides and the game livened up as half-time approached. Declan Bacon found Richard Peniket with an in-swinging cross but the forward skewed wide under pressure from Killock.

Jake Beesley reached the byline and pulled back to Nicky Clee, who blasted over the crossbar from just inside the 18-yard box.

After missing an opportunity just eight minutes prior, Peniket turned provider but Jordan Sinnott sent a volley wide after connecting with the forward’s cross.

A corner routine taken straight from the training ground opened up space for Nathan Hotte to shoot from the edge of the box but Beesley’s deflection took the ball over the crossbar and into the stand behind the goal.

With three minutes remaining until the interval, Bacon picked out Sinnott with an inch-perfect delivery from the let but the former Chesterfield man headed wide.

HALF-TIME: Alfreton Town 0-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

A bizarre incident took place just three minutes after the restart, when Reds goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom blatantly picked up a pass from defender Josh Gowling. Controversy followed as the referee refused to blow his whistle, causing an incensed Mark Bower to vent his frustration on the touchline.

In the early stages of the second-half, the teams cancelled each other out and both defended admirably, stifling any attempts to attack.

The first clear-cut opportunity of the half fell to Alfreton substitute Callum Chettle, who was denied by Drench after weaving his way past Danny Lowe.

Bradford were provided with two injections of energy as the game approached its final twenty minutes and the introductions of Jamie Spencer and Lewis Knight were the catalysts for an increase in the visitors’ tempo.

The tireless running of forward Beesley had given Alfreton defenders headaches throughout the game but he squandered an opportunity to edge Bradford ahead in the 68th minute. McKenna’s lofted pass landed at his feet and the loanee rounded Ramsbottom, but failed to convert with the net vacated.

His blushes were spared just minutes later, as Branson connected with a corner delivery from Nicky Wroe and powered a header past a helpless Ramsbottom.

The hosts failed to carve open Bradford’s defence in the late stages, despite being in desperate need of an equaliser. Nathan Hotte sent a long-range effort sailing wide and Josh Wilde lashed over from around 25-yards out.

FULL-TIME: Alfreton Town 0-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Alfreton Town: Ramsbottom, Clackstone (Clifton 79′), Wilde, Hotte, Gowling, Shiels (c), Bateson, Johnson, Bacon (Clarke 89′), Peniket, Sinnott.

 Unused substitutes: Nicholson, Platt.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Lowe, Wroe (Nowakowski 83′), Killock (c), Havern, McKenna, Branson, Beesley, Dawson (Spencer 65′), Clee (Knight 67′).

Unused substitutes: Toulson, Boshell.

Referee: Matt Corlett

Attendance: 487

Featured image courtesy of Sean Turpin

Bradford City emerged victorious in the Bradford derby thanks to an 89th-minute winner from striker Tom Clare.

It was the Bantams that then lifted the Tom Banks Memorial Trophy, just over a year after suffering a 3-0 defeat at the Horsfall Stadium in the 2017 showpiece.

The hosts started brightly, and an early corner was forced when Ryan Toulson’s cross was steered wide of the post by Shay McCartan. The delivery found a Bradford (PA) trialist, but his shot was blocked.

Ben McKenna found space in behind the City backline after just four minutes following some deft footwork and a one-two with a trialist, but the goalkeeper raced out to collect ahead of him.

The visitors caught their first glimpse of goal through Tyrell Robinson, who combined well with Kai Bruenker before seeing his shot held comfortably by Steven Drench.

A mazy yet direct run from McCartan led to the City playmaker being bundled to the ground by a Bradford (PA) trialist, but the resulting free-kick was lifted over the crossbar by the Northern Ireland international.

The abundance of flair and quality in City’s attacking contingent was always going to see them enjoy opportunities, but they were carved open by the hosts on plenty of occasions. Thomas Isherwood, a recent recruit from Bayern Munich, was forced to make a crucial interception to prevent Toulson’s pass reaching an on-rushing McKenna, who was about to burst through City’s backline.

The Bradford (PA) pressure was eventually rewarded, as Toulson floated a cross in from the right that was bundled in at the back-post by a trialist.

Mark Bower’s side found another gear after breaking the deadlock, mounting more pressure on City and threatening to double their advantage on more than one occasion. Danny Lowe advanced down the left before pulling back to Nicky Clee, who found McKenna, but the latter’s shot was held by the goalkeeper.

As the hosts continued to stifle City’s attacking threat, they very nearly added to their tally on the stroke of half-time when a trialist darted into the box and forced the goalkeeper to turn his low drive wide of the post.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 Bradford City

A more potent City side emerged from the dressing room for the second-half, despite just one change being made. Omari Patrick rounded Lowe twice in as many minutes and forced Toulson and Shane Killock to make last-ditch challenges in the six-yard box.

Bradford (PA) remained in contention despite the early onslaught and George Sykes-Kenworthy, a goalkeeper introduced at half-time, was forced to beat away a powerful close-range effort from McKenna at full stretch.

There was a brief lull in entertainment at the Horsfall as both sides rang the changes, but service was eventually resumed when a City trialist found the top corner with a sensational piledriver of a strike from 30-yards out.

Bradford (PA) then squandered an opportunity to take the lead after a trialist latched on to a Danny Boshell pass, before making an incisive dart into the box and firing wide at the crucial moment.

The National League North side were eventually punished for not being ruthless in front of goal, as Tom Clare raced on to a lofted pass before steering into the bottom corner and sealing victory.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-2 Bradford City

Bradford (PA): Drench, Toulson, Lowe, Wroe, Killock, Havern, McKenna, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Clee.

Substitutes: L. Johnson, Trialist, Nowakowski, Spencer, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.

Bradford City: Trialist, Devine, Hudson, Trialist, Knight-Percival, Isherwood, Patrick, Gunner, Bruenker, McCartan, Robinson.

Substitutes: Hefele, Sykes-Kenworthy, Peters, Powell, Clare, Milambo, Farrar, Prata, Adams.